Aviation authorities from the United Kingdom have given final regulatory approval to The Insitu Group of Bingen, Wash., and the University of Washington to attempt the first transatlantic crossing by an autonomous aircraft.

Share This

Aviation authorities from the United Kingdom have given final regulatory approval to The Insitu Group of Bingen, Wash., and the University of Washington to attempt the first transatlantic crossing by an autonomous aircraft.

Related Articles

The first of up to three flight attempts will be made at the earliest fair-weather opportunity from Sunday, Aug. 16, onward. Flights are planned to start at Bell Island Airport in St. John's, Newfoundland, and land at the Benbecula Military Range on South Uist of the Outer Hebrides Islands of Scotland. The crossing will cover about 3,200 kilometers, or nearly 2,000 miles, and is expected to take about 24 hours.

Plans have been uncertain for a week after the initial proposal to land in Ireland was turned down by the Irish Aviation Authority. However, officials with the United Kingdom National Air Traffic Service, Civil Aviation Authority and Defence Evaluation and Research Agency Hebrides Ranges stepped in to arrange the Outer Hebrides landing site.

Work is being completed this week on the three Aerosonde airplanes that are slated for the transatlantic flight attempts. The planes - which weigh 29 pounds and have 10-foot wingspans - will be taken by support crews to the launch and landing sites this week in preparation for the flights. If successful, the transatlantic crossing will help to demonstrate that miniature robotic aircraft are practical for weather reconnaissance over the oceans. Sponsors for the transatlantic flights include The Boeing Co. and L-3 Communications, Conic Division.

The Aerosonde has been developed by Insitu and Environmental Systems and Services of Melbourne, Australia - with support from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology - for reconnaissance to improve weather forecasting. Insitu now is working with the University of Washington Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, under sponsorship from the Office of Naval Research, to develop a trial Aerosonde weather reconnaissance program off the west coast of the United States.

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by University Of Washington. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

More From ScienceDaily

More Matter & Energy News

Featured Research

Mar. 3, 2015 — By examining the forces that the segments of mosquito legs generate against a water surface, researchers have unraveled the mechanical logic that allows the mosquitoes to walk on water, which may ... full story

Mar. 3, 2015 — Researchers have developed a new way of rapidly screening yeasts that could help produce more sustainable biofuels. The new technique could also be a boon in the search for new ways of deriving ... full story

Mar. 3, 2015 — Major cities in the UK are falling behind their international counterparts in terms of their use of smart technologies, according to a new study. The research has found that smart cities in the UK, ... full story

Mar. 3, 2015 — Scientists have explored friction at the microscopic level. They discovered that the force generating friction is much stronger than previously thought. The discovery is an important step toward ... full story

Mar. 3, 2015 — Micro-drones are already being put to use in a large number of areas: These small aircraft face extensive requirements when performing aerial observation tasks or when deployed in the field of ... full story

Mar. 3, 2015 — Recent research contributes to the effort to determine the nature of dark matter, one of the most important mysteries in physics. As indirect evidence provided by its gravitational effects, dark ... full story

Mar. 3, 2015 — Physicists have shown for the first time that electrons in graphene can be moved along a predefined path. This movement occurs entirely without loss and could provide a basis for numerous ... full story

Mar. 3, 2015 — Magnetic vortex structures, so-called skyrmions, could in future store and process information very efficiently. They could also be the basis for high-frequency components. For the first time, a team ... full story

Featured Videos

Forensic Holodeck Creates 3D Crime Scenes

Reuters - Innovations Video Online (Mar. 3, 2015) — A holodeck is no longer the preserve of TV sci-fi classic Star Trek, thanks to researchers from the Institute of Forensic Medicine Zurich, who have created what they say is the first system in the world to visualise the 3D data of forensic scans. Jim Drury saw it in operation.
Video provided by Reuters

Solar Plane Passes New Test Ahead of World Tour

AFP (Mar. 2, 2015) — A solar-powered plane made a third successful test flight in the United Arab Emirates on Monday ahead of a planned round-the-world tour to promote alternative energy. Duration: 01:05
Video provided by AFP

Electric Hydrofoiling Watercraft Delivers Eco-Friendly Thrills

Reuters - Innovations Video Online (Mar. 2, 2015) — The Quadrofoil is a high-tech electric personal watercraft that its makers call a &apos;sports car for the water&apos;. When it hits 10 km/h, the Slovenian-engineered Quadrofoil is lifted above the water onto four wing-like hydrofoils where it &apos;flies&apos; above the surface with minimal water resistance. Matthew Stock reports.
Video provided by Reuters

Related Stories

Feb. 5, 2015 — Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership leaders will work with users and the Federal Aviation Administration to determine equipment and training needs for the advancement of aerial journalism. Pending FAA ... full story

June 5, 2014 — While civil aviation is on the threshold of potentially revolutionary changes with the emergence of increasingly autonomous unmanned aircraft, these new systems pose serious questions about how they ... full story

Apr. 7, 2014 — Researchers are developing a bio-inspired unmanned aircraft capable of soaring like birds, boosting energy efficiency and endurance. The research team is aiming to be the first in the world to ... full story

July 9, 2012 — Using lights to make aircraft more visible to birds could help reduce the risk of bird strikes, new research has found. The study examined how Canada geese responded to different radio-controlled ... full story

May 26, 2010 — The first new projections of future aircraft emissions in 10 years predict that carbon dioxide and other gases from air traffic will become a significant source of global warming as they double or ... full story

ScienceDaily features breaking news and videos about the latest discoveries in health, technology, the environment, and more -- from major news services and leading universities, scientific journals, and research organizations.